On World Press Freedom Day, the Journalists’ Union of Turkey (TGS) released its 2023-2024 Press Freedom Report, shedding light on the precarious conditions faced by journalists in Turkey. The report’s focus this year is on “journalist poverty,” highlighting the struggle with low wages, long working hours, and forced disorganization.
Key findings from the report:
1. Wages, especially in non-union workplaces, remain below the poverty line. While the proportion of those with net earnings above the poverty line in workplaces with collective bargaining agreements is 25.4%, this figure is only 4.2% in non-union workplaces.
2. Participants mostly lack additional income besides their wages.
3. Approximately half of the members, especially in non-union workplaces, receive financial support from their families to make ends meet.
4. More than half of the members, particularly in non-union workplaces, struggle to meet all their needs with their monthly income.
5. In both groups, more than a quarter of participants need a minimum of 30,000 TL per month to meet their basic needs.
6. Three-quarters of participants do not engage in additional work to make ends meet, but they are willing to do so if given the opportunity.
7. The majority of their income is spent on housing/rent, transportation, and food.
8. A significant portion of participants feel impoverished, while the majority perceive themselves as being in the low-income bracket.
9. The monthly budget allocated by participants for social and cultural development has significantly decreased compared to last year.
10. The country's economic situation not only affects the contracts in unionized workplaces but also suppresses the economic and social rights in non-union workplaces.
11. The vast majority of participants express a decrease in purchasing power compared to last year. Almost all participants in both groups reported that their income has decreased due to inflation compared to last year.
12. Purchasing a new or used home or car is not possible in the near future for those surveyed.
13. Half of the participants live in rented accommodation. The majority state that they are not the sole breadwinners in their households.
14. In both unionized and non-union workplace surveys, more than half of journalists are ready to quit journalism for better pay if given the opportunity.
From October 2022 to April 2024, 40 journalists faced 46 investigations: